Plant Fuel Facility Manager

Job Description Summary

The Natrium Fuel Facility Manager will lead the design, construction, start-up and operation of a new U.S. Department of Energy federally funded project at the GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy site in Wilmington NC. The position will lead the establishment of Natrium High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) metallic nuclear fuel production capability at the existing GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) campus in Wilmington, NC. The Natrium fuel facility is being developed by a joint venture between TerraPower and Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas (GNF-A, a GVH joint venture), with over $200 million in funding.
In this role you will collaborate with facilities engineering, manufacturing engineering, project managers, EHS, sourcing, IT, architects, outside engineering firms, partners, and other internal and external stakeholders to finalize the specifications, complete the construction, start up and operate a new nuclear fuel manufacturing facility.

Job Description

• Oversee overall project scope, budget, and timeline to ensure new facility is delivered on time and on budget.
• Oversee the design and review of manufacturing equipment, devices, systems and processes for a new fuel fabrication facility.
• Oversee new facility construction while monitoring GVH's safety procedures, compliance policies and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure all business, process, safety, security, IT, operation, quality, maintenance and equipment requirements are captured in the facility plans. The Natrium Fuel Facility is being designed to meet the standards for a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Category II facility.
• Lead a strong nuclear safety and EHS compliance culture with emphasis on employee involvement.
• Effectively interface with customers, suppliers, partners, regulators and internal support organizations to collectively meet the goals and objectives of the Natrium Fuel facility project.
• Monitor and improve cost, including inventory and P&E management.
• Collaborate with Sourcing to negotiate subcontracts and equipment purchases to meet overall facility needs.
• Promote a working environment that encourages employee involvement to achieve excellence in compliance, nuclear safety, EHS, customer service, quality and productivity.
• Select, hire, train, develop and provide ongoing leadership and direction for a new fuel manufacturing facility employee team. Support the development of manufacturing operations leadership and technical talent and depth.
• Champion positive employee relations. Foster employee engagement and ensure that business and operational goals are effectively communicated to employees. Promote team morale, involvement/ownership, and skills development.
• Ensure ongoing evolution of training plans to maximize workforce capability to facilitate successful operational start-up.
• Other relevant duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college/university
• Ten (10) years of managerial or technical experience in a nuclear, manufacturing, operations, military, or other highly regulated industry.

• Walk up and down stairs. Occasionally climb ladders.
• Crawling, kneeling, crouching, reaching around manufacturing equipment.
• Willingness to travel up to 15% of time.
• Ability to relocate to Wilmington, NC. Frequent on-site presence at the Wilmington, NC site.
• Proficient at using computers and Microsoft Suite.

• Engineering or other technical degree.
• Clear, strategic, and critical thinker; proven ability to prioritize, plan and execute important business and supply chain initiatives. Demonstrated ability to establish and deploy strategy through a layered, cross-functional organization.
• Experience interfacing with external constituencies, including government regulators, customers and suppliers.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and communicate well with all levels of the organization, including senior leadership.
• Inclusive leadership style, proven ability to build a connection with the team. Ability to successfully motivate and maintain high morale, employee involvement, safety and teamwork.
• Experience with manufacturing and/or metal processing and handling. (Welding, Casting, Extrusion, Transport, etc.).
• Familiar with industrial equipment and processes such as resistance pressure welders, motors, valves, gears, mixing, heating, cooling, chemical reactions, furnaces, heat exchangers, hoods, vibrators, hydraulics etc.
• Experience with manufacturing equipment design, specification, requisitioning, testing and installation, including management of capital and expense projects.
• Experience with NRC Regulations, Process Safety Management (PSM), Process Hazards Analysis (PHA) or Integrated Safety Analysis (ISA).
• Experience executing a U.S. Department of Energy or other federally funded construction projects.
• Working knowledge of the elements of construction, construction contracts, government property and construction contracting standards including Davis-Bacon Act, Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards act.
• Demonstrated strong project management skills and success working on cross-functional teams. Strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to drive projects to completion, including cost and schedule control.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Significant Lean and Six Sigma experience. Experience leading in a Lean culture.
• Proficiency with PC and productivity software [examples include MS Word, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint]